Diabetes can progress to form a significant deformity of your foot and ankle. This foot deformity is an advanced complication of diabetes and must be treated very seriously. These changes are known as Charcot foot and you will notice your arch dropping with bones causing pressure in the middle of your foot. Without proper treatment, the foot will continue to collapse and put you at risk for a diabetic foot ulcer to form.
Charcot foot needs to be treated quickly and aggressively. At first you will likely be immobilized to stop the progress of the collapse of your foot. Afterwards, you would be placed in a therapeutic shoe with an insole designed to manage the pressure beneath the foot. If your foot is already too deformed to be in a diabetic shoe, a custom shoe may be needed. To add additional support, I may recommend a custom ankle-foot orthotic to be worn in the shoe. In particularly severe cases, I may recommend surgery to reconstruct the foot.
If you have diabetes and are noticing your foot changing, contact Houston podiatrist Dr. Andrew Schneider for an immediate appointment. When you call, mention that you are diabetic and think you have a problem. My team will get you in ASAP!
